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6.2.2025

Inaugural KPA Bradley Awards Recipients

Photos of the event:

Preshow - https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCgJ2F

Show – https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCgBVL

Post show - https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCgBXQ

 

The inaugural Kentucky Performing Arts (KPA) Bradley Awards were held at The Kentucky Center in Louisville, Sunday June 1, 2025. This program is an official regional awards program of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®), known also as The Jimmy Awards®. The KPA Bradley Awards will introduce talented youth in Kentucky and Southern Indiana to the national stage while celebrating the importance of theatre arts education.  The KPA Bradley Awards are named in honor of Bradley Broecker, whose central role in bringing touring Broadway shows to Kentuckiana has made an immeasurable impact on the region’s vibrancy. The KPA Bradley Awards are presented by KPA in partnership with the Louisville Theatrical Association.

The students awarded Best Actor and Best Actress in a Leading Role will represent the region at the 2025 Jimmy Awards® in New York City, which includes 10 days of private coaching, master classes and rehearsals with theater professionals, all-expenses paid. The week will culminate in a national awards ceremony at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway Monday, June 23, 2025.

The award ceremony, held in The Kentucky Center's Whitney Hall, featured performances by students from all the participating schools.  CLICK HERE to read the 2025 KPA Bradley Awards Program.

Special thanks to the team who brought the event together:

Nick Covault, KPA VP of Education and Community

Dean Alan Muir, KPA Bradley Awards Manager

Austin Vahle, Staging Director

Jessica Greene, Music Director

Lydia Austin, Choreographer

Angela Hopperton, Music Arranger

We thank all the school who participated in the inaugural program and look forward to celebrating Kentucky and Southern Indiana's talented youth and arts educators for many years to come.


Behind the Scenes Excellence - Sponsored by Bradley Broecker

Recipient

Emma Hockensmith / Choreographer

Reilly Ketterer / Assistant Director

Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - THE LIGHTNING THIEF

Nominees

Alex Clarke / Costumes

Savannah Mack / Costumes

Luke Nobers / Props Lead

Clare O’Bryan / Stage Manager

Justine Ford Pitts / Tech Lead – Shifting Lead

Ballard High School, Louisville, KY -  SHREK: THE MUSICAL


Charlotte Davis / Assistant Stage Manager and Costume Designer

Greenwood High School, Bowling Green, KY - THE ADDAMS FAMILY


Samantha McNichol / Costume Designer

John Hardin High School, Elizabethtown, KY - MAMMA MIA!


Penny Ferguson / Stage Manager

New Albany High School, New Albany, IN - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION


Outstanding Student Designer-Sponsored by Think Tank Marketing

Recipient

Delaney Mullannix, Lighting Design

Bryan Station High School, Lexington, KY - SHREK: THE MUSICAL

Nominees

Savannah Mack, Costume Design

Ballard High School, Louisville, KY - SHREK: THE MUSICAL


Elinor Soult, Costume Design

Bryan Station High School, Lexington, KY - SHREK: THE MUSICAL


Charlotte Davis, Costume Design

Greenwood High School, Bowling Green, KY - THE ADDAMS FAMILY


Jansen Lewis, Set Design

Greenwood High School, Bowling Green, KY - THE ADDAMS FAMILY


Outstanding Technical Execution

Recipient

Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!

Nominees

McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH

Mercer County Senior High School, Harrodsburg, KY - LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

New Albany High School, New Albany, IN  - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION

Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY - INTO THE WOODS


Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Recipient

Finnegan Broyles as Rapunzel’s Prince

Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY - INTO THE WOODS

Nominees

Cyrus Jaques as Mr. Krabs

Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY - THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL


Sam Lynn as Don Price

McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH


Landon Howard as Audrey II

Mercer County Senior High School, Harrodsburg, KY - LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS


Aneesh Nair as Kevin Gnapoor

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Lexington, KY - MEAN GIRLS: HIGH SCHOOL EDITION


Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Recipient

Lyvia McCutchen as Pearl Krabs

Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY - THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL

Nominees

Elaina Norton as Rose

Daviess County High School, Owensboro, KY - THE SECRET GARDEN

Silvia Periago as Clarisse

Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - THE LIGHTNING THIEF


Janeway Howard as Countess Ipolitov

Lafayette High School, Lexington, KY - ANASTASIA


Evie Robertson as Jenny Hill

McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH


Outstanding Dance Execution

Recipient

Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!

Nominees

Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY  - THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL

McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH

New Albany High School, New Albany, IN - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION

Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY - INTO THE WOODS


Outstanding Arts Mentor-Sponsored by Bruce Merrick and Karen McCoy

Recipient

Amanda Simmons

New Albany High School, New Albany, IN - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION

Nominees

Sarah Fain

Ballard High School, Louisville, KY - SHREK: THE MUSICAL


Phyllis Westfall

John Hardin High School, Elizabethtown, KY - MAMMA MIA!


Maddie Anderson

Randall K Cooper High School, Union, KY - INTO THE WOODS

Cayce Crowder-Abellard

Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!

Outstanding Community Engagement

Recipient

Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - THE LIGHTNING THIEF

Nominees
 
Bryan Station High School, Lexington, KY - SHREK: THE MUSICAL

Lafayette High School, Lexington, KY - ANASTASIA

Randall K Cooper High School, Union, KY - INTO THE WOODS

Outstanding Ensemble Performance-Sponsored by Frank and Paula Harshaw

Recipient

Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!

Nominees

Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY - THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL

McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH

New Albany High School, New Albany, IN - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION

Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY - INTO THE WOODS


Best Actor in a Leading Role

Recipient

Carson Chesnut as Will Bloom

McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH

Nominees

John Brasher as Dickon

Daviess County High School, Owensboro, KY - THE SECRET GARDEN


Joey Webb as Squidward

Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY - THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL


Braydon Branam as Seymour

Mercer County Senior High School, Harrodsburg, KY - LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS


Jeremiah Stephens as Schroeder

Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!


Best Actress in a Leading Role

Recipient

Kennedy Julian as Sally Brown

Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!

Nominees

Kelsie Thacker as Sandy Cheeks

Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY - THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL


Abigail Scheer as Sandra Bloom

McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH


Jenna Morrison as Velma Kelly

New Albany High School, New Albany, IN - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION


Caylen Judd as Cinderella

Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY - INTO THE WOODS



Best Overall Musical Production-Sponsored by Michael E. Berry

Recipient

Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!

Nominees

Daviess County High School, Owensboro, KY - THE SECRET GARDEN

McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH

New Albany High School, New Albany, IN - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION

Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY - INTO THE WOODS

___________________________


ABOUT KENTUCKY PERFORMING ARTS

Bringing world class performances to Kentucky, connecting artists with the community, and providing arts education opportunities, Kentucky Performing Arts lives its statewide mission of connecting and inspiring through the arts. Kentucky Performing Arts has a significant impact on the Commonwealth’s tourism and local economy, contributing $26.3 million in an average year, including $15.8 million in direct economic impact with our patrons spending an additional $10.5 million annually.  As an integral member of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet, Kentucky Performing Arts, along with the other agencies, seeks to preserve and promote the history, heritage, and arts of the Commonwealth.


Three locations in Louisville make up the family of venues under the Kentucky Performing Arts umbrella:


The Kentucky Center at 501 W. Main St.
The Brown Theatre, 315 W. Broadway
Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, 724 Brent St.


ABOUT THE JIMMY AWARDS

The Jimmy Awards®/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®) program impacts approximately 150,000 students who participate in 55 regional high school musical theatre competitions sponsored by presenters of touring Broadway productions throughout the United States. Named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, the program has been the catalyst for more than $6,000,000 in educational scholarships since its launch in 2009. Presented by The Broadway League Foundation, Inc., the NHSMTA invites two nominees from each local regional ceremony to New York City for a rigorous theatre intensive that includes coaching sessions, training, and rehearsals led by some of Broadway’s most accomplished professionals. Nominees will spend ten days in New York City from Friday, June 13, 2025, through Tuesday, June 24, 2025, and their experience will culminate in an extraordinary talent showcase performed live in front of an audience on a Broadway stage. The sixteenth annual Jimmy Awards will take place on Monday, June 23, 2025, at the Minskoff Theatre. For more information, please visit www.JimmyAwards.com.

ABOUT LOUISVILLE THEATRICAL ASSOCIATION

The Louisville Theatrical Association, founded in 1938, is a civic, not-for-profit organization with a volunteer Board of Directors.  LTA’s mission is to sustain the Broadway Series as a dynamic and primary source of performing arts entertainment; to maintain the series as a resource to enhance the quality of other arts activities in the Louisville area; to assist in the preservation of historic theatre properties; and to extend community participation in the arts through programs of education. 



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